CXMT begins risk production of HBM3E memory

CXMT has begun risk production of HBM3E memory in very low quantities, according to The Information, marking a notable step for China’s memory industry. The move leaves Chinese producers two generations behind South Korean companies, which are gradually transitioning to HBM4E memory production, but signals progress at CXMT as it expands DRAM output.

CXMT is on track to reach manufacturing capacity of around 350,000 DRAM wafers per month by the end of the year, with plans to increase capacity in the coming years. The specifications of CXMT’s HBM3E are not known, but JEDEC’s standard calls for a 1,024-bit width and speeds of anywhere from 9.2 Gbps per pin to 12.4 Gbps, with most standard configurations targeting 9.6 Gbps per pin.

Standard HBM3E bandwidth is around 1.2 TB/s, with capacities ranging from 24 GB using 8-hi stacks to 36 GB using 12-high stacks of 24 Gb layers. CXMT has moved quickly from risk production to mass production before, raising the possibility of high volume manufacturing in just a few weeks.